521 Incidence of Bone Fracture Rate Post-Burn and Trauma in Role 2 and 3 Treatment Centers

Abstract

Abstract Introduction One of the hallmarks of critical illness and trauma is that it triggers resorptive bone loss, as well as an increase in bone fractures and a reduction in bone density. Sustained markers of bone resorption, bone formation, and regulators of bone signaling pathways are linked to prolonged inflammatory activities and the prolonged deterioration of bone microstructure. The objective of this study is to evaluate the bone fracture rate of the U.S Military, non-U.S. Military, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Military, local civilian, and Coalition Forces population in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Freedom’s Sentinel with burns from 2005 to 2018 using the Department of Defense Trauma Registry (DoDTR; n=28,707). Our hypothesis is that there is a direct relationship between burn injury severity and bone fracture rates. Methods Pearson’s correlation coefficient and scatterplots were used in this retrospective, observational study to demonstrate the correlation between total body surface area (TBSA) burn and number of fractures by anatomical location. Results Approximately 15,195 patients (age: 26 ± 10 years) in Role 2 and Role 3 treatment centers reported fractures. Of those patients, 351 suffered from burns with 632 anatomical fracture locations. Facial fractures were most prominent (16%), followed by foot (12%), skull (12%), tibia/fibula (11%), hand (11%), and ulna/radius (10%). There was no initial correlation between n increasing severity of TBSA burn and count of fracture locations (ρ=-0.03, p=0.8572). Conclusions There was no acute correlation between burn severity and bone fracture rates; however, further analyses are required to assess chronic post-burn fracture rates.